


The Crooked King

by MonthOfJun



Category: Original Work
Genre: A lot of dark shit, Abuse of Authority, Abusive Relationships, Aftermath of Torture, Aftermath of Violence, Agony, Anal Sex, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Arguing, Arrogance, Assassination Attempt(s), Attempted Murder, Blood and Violence, Conflict, Crying, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Female Friendship, Flogging, Gang Rape, Gentle Kissing, Gentle Sex, Graphic Description, Graphic Description of Corpses, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Sorry, Immortality, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, It gets better kinda, Kidnapping, Lots of Whump, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Master/Slave, Murder, My First AO3 Post, No Aftercare, Not Beta Read, Oral Sex, POV Alternating, POV Third Person, Physical Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-War, Rape Aftermath, Rape as Torture, Rape/Non-con Elements, Royalty, Sad with a Happy Ending, Servants, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Slavery, Slow Build, Sorry Not Sorry, Supernatural Elements, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Threats of Violence, Torture, Trauma, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Verbal Abuse, Victim Blaming, Violence, War, What Have I Done, Whipping, Whump, Why Did I Write This?, happy-ish ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:27:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25780564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonthOfJun/pseuds/MonthOfJun
Summary: There was once an unbreakable alliance, sealed by the four most powerful kingdoms of the world: one in the west, south, east, and so forth. The northern state, Neoveil, was once known for being peaceful and ethereal. It was without conflict for centuries.But something changed.A new ruler emerged, and the former faded into a distant memory. This man was unseen, a master of controlling his pawns while he remained hidden from the general public. Under his rule, Neoveil devolved into desolation and poverty. He was a monster - a sick and twisted monster. He wants nothing more than to conquer the other four kingdoms and spread this cruel disease across the world.But his "prisoner" isn't going to let that happen.The Crooked King's reign won't last for much longer.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Female Character, Original Female Character/Original Male Character, Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Kudos: 9





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> TW: This story will have some seriously triggering topics and I will not treat them lightly nor try to romanticize them. I suggest not reading this if it is something that is triggering to you. Please acknowledge the archive warnings. I tried to list them as best as I could.
> 
> Side note: this is my first work on here. Do be patient with me. I'm still trying to figure out how this site works.
> 
> The tags are in no particular order.

On one sleepless night, Hyun-wu awoke to the sound of screaming. It was loud, shrill, /piercing/ with agony. With a jolt, he was urged from his bed, kicking his legs over the edge of the frame. The boy checked the window first and pulled apart silk curtains to see the horror on the streets beneath.

/He/ was here.

Horsemen in charcoal black armor strode across the village and set building upon building aflame. But it wasn't just houses. A old beggar had seemingly stepped in the path of one of the knights. A hulking man upon a white steed twisted at the reigns. Before the beggar could even comprehend what was to become of him, the knight pulled a sword from his scabbard. It only took one full swing for the beggar's head to fall from his shoulders.

The sight of his head (wide-eyed and mouth agape, lying on his floor and discarded from the rest of his body) was enough to rip a gasp from Hyun-wu's throat. And if he didn't have a better grasp of his reflexes, he would have vomited. It wasn't just the beggar; it was anyone in their path. 

A mother had stepped in the way of her child, begging frantically for them to spare her son. They both were murdered.

But even still, it wasn't till another member of the brigade hauled a lit torch at Hyun-wu's home, that it really clicked. He and his family were in danger. 

Mere seconds passed before the fire began to spread and Hyun-wu was already out of his bedroom chamber and bounding down the stairs.

And yet...

Hyun-wu saw the shape of them in the front doorway. His parents' emaciated corpses slumped over each other, charred. Their jaws hung open. They died screaming.

His younger sister, Cho, lied beside them. Her small hand was clamped around her mother's, melted flesh sticking together as if they had been bound like that forever. It was just then when the lingering aroma of burnt flesh struck him, his stomach swirled, and he had to clamp a hand over his mouth to stop himself from vomiting.

Somewhere off in the distance, someone was sobbing. "No, don't take her away from me! Please! Plea-"

And that sound is cutoff swiftly.

Another cry follows, but it stops just as short.

At this point, Hyun-wu can barely breathe. His chest heaves out quick gasps while his wide brown eyes take in the surrounding flames. When the smoke thickens, he finally remembers why he tried to find his family in the first place.

"I found someone in here!"

Hyun-wu didn't know who had spoken. All he knew was that the voice was deep and it was so incredibly close. He can't move.

Footsteps approach.

He still can't fucking move.

They're closer now.

"Found you."


	2. A Message from the North

“Centuries ago, our world of Ostia was divided into four regions by the great goddess Etris, and she entrusted these lands to four extraordinary royals. The eastern territory was Acrisha, ruled by Hamund - stern but compassionate king with the power to control the sky. Pyro, in the west, was overseen by Queen Rhodesia with the power of prosperity. An oracle named Gin ruled the southern region of Tyon. And lastly, the land of the north was a cold but ethereal land of angels called Neoveil.”

Cho’s brown eyes glimmered with wonder and a giddy little smile stretched across her face. Recognition lit up her features, for she had never grown tired of hearing this part of the story. Her hand clutched at the bed sheets and mouthed along with the words her mother spoke. The old woman chuckled as she continued, “The ruler of Neoveil was the most powerful of all of them, do you know why?”

Cho nodded enthusiastically. “Because he had compassion.” Her voice was a high and enthusiastic chirp as always.

“Yes, because he had the power of compassion,” the woman grinned and ran a gentle hand through the girl’s hair. “He cared deeply for his people and made sure that they were never harmed. These four territories formed an alliance and together they brought peace to Ostia. The world…” She couldn’t help the small twitch that pulled at her features when she ended, “was at peace.”

Her daughter blinked at the change, but yawned and forgot what initially troubled her.

The story had captured her interests now and could no longer lull her to sleep, but it was a start. Her mother leaned over to the wooden crafted nightstand and extinguished the flickering candlelight with a single breath. “Sleep well, my dear heart.” Once more, she caressed auburn strands before standing up from the bed.  
Before she could step out from the doorway, however, she heard her daughter again in the darkness.

“Mommy, what happened to Neoveil?”

The woman’s figure tensed, but she still had to try her best to force her lips into that same deceiving smile. “Sleep well.” Even deep down, she knew her troubles could not be avoided if they were just ignored. But for now, it was the best thing she could do. What else was she to say? 'The beautiful kingdom of angels has now turned into Hell'?

She could pretend it was all a story if she just left it alone…

Mother walked in slow strides down creaking, wooden steps. In such a quiet village home, the sound was nearly deafening. The silhouette of her husband was easy to see. The man was huddled up uncomfortably on one of the beds in their shared room. After everything that had happened, the man seemed older than her. Not wiser, but stress had begun to eat at his skin, and his black hair had just started its fade into gray. And the mother had one of the kindest expressions, while his were weary and plagued by the vicious state of the outside world. Their children used to look like them; Hyun-wu and Cho with a pale complexion, brown hair, and dark brown eyes like chocolates that would have matched had Hyun's not been so exhausted. His hair was a short umber brown and naturally disheveled. And because the boy was so insistent, he was slender and practically frail on the account of taking care of his much younger sister more than he did himself.

He was, what, eighteen now and he still hadn’t spent a day to himself? Mother frowned at the thought. Things wouldn’t be able to change any time soon.

“Is Hyun-wu asleep?” Mother had asked.

“Yes. Is Cho?”

“Yes, of course.”

A bought of silence was exchanged between them. They both seemed to look at each other, frightened, without really saying what was on their mind. They knew what was troubling them without as much as having to utter a word. Mother sat across from him, her hands folded in her lap. And while he lied turned to her, his eyes wandered across the room.

His lips pressed together before he forced out, “He has taken over Pyro.”

Mother snapped her head up. Her eyes widened. “What? No, then that means… All except for Acrisha…”

Father nodded. “That leaves one territory. I am certain he will start to make his way over here as soon as tomorrow. Starting with the villages in his way. I’ve heard what he has done to all of the others. Burns them to the ground and takes a prisoner. It’s barbaric.”

“But those are just rumors… aren’t they? Why would he seek to destroy the towns he could conquer, or the subjects he wants to rule over?”

“I don’t think he cares about subjects as long as he has the world.”

On nights like these, Hyun-wu lied awake and restless. He knew, by dawn, when the spread of orange waves and rose-colored clouds returned to blue, he finally. would be able to shut his eyes. The distinct voices of his parents did not help to comfort him—they never did, not when they were conversing about the spread of destitution and terror. They couldn’t tell that their words seeped through the door. It was fine though. He tried to convince himself as much by focusing on a withered book in his lap, but the pages were falling, and _everything_ was falling apart. 

_Oh God._

“Do-yun… what do we do?”

“We’ll take the children, leave this village as soon as tomorrow morning and move inland to Acrisha.”

“But Do-yun…“

“I know, I know, but we have no choice.”

Hyun-wu shifted to his side and stared forward at the door. Acrisha… All he had heard for what seemed like his entire life was Neoveil, Neoveil, Neoveil. Now every other territory sounded like fiction. Setting the book aside, he nestled his hand beneath his head and forced his eyes closed. 

At least they had tomorrow.  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No! Don’t take her away from me! Please! Plea-“

Like a pendulum, the swing of a blade stops any further words from being said. Hyun-wu doesn’t think. He just… does. Amidst all the chaos, the image of his family burned alive falls from the forefront of his mind. Instead, he watches crowds of screaming civilians hurl past him in hopes that they won’t be next. Someone bumped into his shoulder, but he didn’t flinch. He didn’t snap out of it. Quickly, his eyes shifted to a building that has not yet been touched by flames. He can tell it is uninhabited; the soldiers have already dragged whatever bodies were in the house and put them up on a vile display of for all to see. So this is the work of Neoveil.

Hyun-wu knew he didn’t have time to look. He pushed through a violent crowd and made his way over to the house across the street with the corpses on pikes. As much as the putrid smell within those walls sickened him, he doubted the guards would return to a home they had already inspected. If anything, they would destroy the house and it takes less than a second for the brunette to wonder if that was a worse way to go than being murdered on the street. Then he remembered he didn’t have a choice either way. A door beneath the stairs was nothing special, but now it was a beam of light at the end of a dark, dismal tunnel. He wasted no time before forcing his body into the small space. He lets his eyes squeeze shut because maybe this is all just a sick nightmare he can wake up from.  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Screaming. Screaming. Screaming. And silence. 

When Hyun-wu opened his eyes, there was nothing. It took a while for the crowd to be completely picked off and complete cowardice to set in. Perhaps he should have been one of them. He could have done something. Anything. 

There was a small crack between the cupboard door and the wall that provided just enough space to make out blurry images of the outside. He became hyper-aware of his own breathing. He leaned in a bit more to try and make out those blurry shapes, and suddenly he sees something move and shiny metallic armor.  
Fear sunk its sharp claws into his body and suddenly he was paralyzed. 

A knight returned. He knows it not just by the sight, but by the sound of approaching footsteps. He sees the man survey the wreckage and when he lifted his gaze, he locks his vision onto the gleaming eye beneath the stairs.

Hyun didn’t think he was that easy to spot, but the knight drew nearer.

“I found someone in here,” he called out behind him.

_No. No God, please, no._

The soldier’s cracked lips stretched into a smirk. Hyun-wu, unaware of his own actions, withdrew further into the cupboard as if that would protect him. His body trembled. Tears began to spill from his eyes and streak down his cheeks. 

_I don’t want to die. Please. No._

It was too late though, wasn’t it. He closed his eyes again; maybe it would be easier to accept his fate if he couldn’t see it.  
The footsteps drew even closer until they stopped right beside him. A large hand clasped around the door and pulled. Creaking hinges rang in Hyun-wu’s ears and he forced himself to stare in the face of death.

“Found you,” the knight chuckled. “Holy fuck, are… are you crying?”

Hyun-wu didn’t speak. The answer was clear as day. Tears still fell and he continued to shake himself apart because that was all he could do. The soldier tutted patronizingly. And with a, “That’s too bad,” he abruptly pulled at Hyun-wu’s clothing, forcing him out of his little hiding spot. The other knights had come out to play… They were just like the first: all large and powerful men that made Hyun-wu feel even more defenseless. The boy watched them with a steady gaze, and just when he had managed to stop shaking, his voice slipped out involuntarily.

“Please just… get it over with.”

The soldiers all seemed to take their pause before exchanging a hearty laugh with each other. As if this was something to laugh at – sick bastards. The knight with an iron-grip on Hyun-wu’s collar forcefully shoved him forward until his face collided with a wall. The impact was enough to make him want to faint, but he stubbornly held on to consciousness long enough to feel coarse rope biting into his wrists.

“Don’t worry, boy. We aren’t going to kill you. No. You have much worse to look forward to.”


	3. A Vile New Home

The journey to the north felt as if it would never end, but Hyun convinced himself it was because he was alone with his thoughts. Well... not _alone _exactly, not with soldiers breathing down his neck. All things considered, the silence made him feel alone.__

__He sat behind one of the guards on horseback begrudgingly - it wasn't like he had much of a choice, did he? His hands were tightly bound together by the rope that mocking soldier graciously provided, and that clumsily braided material bit into his skin. He could only imagine what Mark's would be left behind when it was removed... if it was removed._ _

__There wasn't much more mobility provided. That same rope twisted around his forearms and pinned them to his sides. His legs were free from such bindings, though, but on horseback he had no choice but to watch landscapes pass by._ _

__His mouth gaped. All around him, were remnants of Neoveil's reign. The grasslands that stretched for miles were charred black and he could hardly make out the jagged frames of structures that had long since been destroyed. Below the burnt wood and gaging metal lied pathways of melted and worm-eaten bodies. They all looked the same: this horrible mass of black and blood red bones in a morbid puddle. Just like his parents. And they smelled even worse._ _

__Hyun-wu had always heard that decay leaves a sickeningly sweet smell in the air, but this was different._ _

__Musk. Copper. Blood. Meat._ _

__When he was picnicking in the village, he must have ignored it, but now it was more present than ever. Or maybe it was because they had been sitting out in the sun for what might have been months. Hyun-wu couldn't lift his hands to his mouth so he couldn't prevent himself from-_ _

__"Oh, for fucks sake," one of the knights hissed in disgust._ _

__Dry heaving._ _

__"If this is how he reacts about everything, the king's gonna have a field day with him," the same tall and fit man remarked. The others laughed. And Hyun-wu's head spun._ _

__"He likes when they're scared though, doesn't he? Gets him excited."_ _

__Another round of laughs. Hyun-wu felt sick again._ _

__What exactly were they planning to do to him? Hyun-wu knew that they weren't going to kill him, or at least that was what he inferred from the soldier's mocking. A part of him didn't want to know, but another part of him wanted to be prepared. Neither was possible surely._ _

__Hyun-wu swallowed. The rest of the ride was silent.  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _

__It was about another few miles through destroyed forest landscapes before they reached civilization and even that seemed dreary. Neoveil expanded over three kingdoms and the surrounding territory, just like his father said. It had all been conquered. All except for Acrisha. He remembered the name vaguely._ _

__It was cold in the north. Not just the weather, but the atmosphere. Everything was stone and framed by iron bars. There were crowds on the street, but unlike his village, they weren't vendors. They were beggars._ _

__A miserable elderly woman trudged up to a patrolman. Eyes shining with desperation, and her pale lips speaking words Hyun-wu couldn't decipher, she clutched to him. The patrolman took the blunt end of his staff and plunged it into her stomach._ _

__Hyun-wu winced and turned away._ _

__The woman keeled over, breath disappearing from her lungs in sharp gasps. The patrolman continued on his way and all the peasants scattered from him. Not one of them helped her off the ground or even offered. They knew better than that._ _

__Calling this a Kingdom would be the same as calling dirt and soil high cuisine. It was a grand span of territory, but all they had to show for it was the castle at the end of a long winding road._ _

__Most castles seem to be conjured from a storybook. This one seemed to be crafted from a nightmare. Behind the towering pillars of an iron gate, the castle stands - an ancient sort of thing, but only in appearances. The walls were just concrete and steel as far as the eye could see. Nothing screamed royalty._ _

___It's no more of a castle than it is a prison _, Hyun-wu thinks.__ _ _

____And oh, the shadows it cast down below. It was tall enough to reach the sky above._ _ _ _

____When the group of knights forced their steeds to a halt before a long wooden drawbridge, Hyun-wu's mind blanked. He kicked himself off the saddle, hands still bound together, and took off running. It took a moment for the surprise on the soldiers' faces to dissipate._ _ _ _

____All of the soldiers hurdled after him, of course, but Hyun-wu kept running. His balance was off and ever few steps, he would stumble, but he kept running._ _ _ _

____He kept running until armor-clad hands wrapped around his chest and pulled him close._ _ _ _

____His heart began to race. He wasn't going to let them take him._ _ _ _

____Hyun-wu suddenly screamed. "No... No! Let go of me!" He kicked and wrung uncomfortably in the soldier's grip. "Let me go! No! Stop it!"_ _ _ _

____The boy lifted his head and caught the sight of a village family, watching with piercing eyes. He couldn't decide whether it was pity or scorn, but still, he pleaded. "Help me! Please!"_ _ _ _

____When they heard his screams, they looked the other way. That sort of sound had become ambiance now._ _ _ _

____They knew he wasn't the first poor soul that had to be dragged - quite literally - kicking and screaming to the castle.  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____Hyun-wu had snapped out of it before the soldier brought him down a dark and wet hallway. Alured was his name; Hyun-wu heard one of his comrades address him as such. He was every bit as intimidating as Hyun-wu initially though._ _ _ _

____Alured stared at the boy with eyes that were the palest watery blue, like a creature that spent its life in perpetual shadow. His hair was long and matted and Hyun-wu had just noticed how grimy and filthy his face was. From the top of his forehead peeking through muddled bangs, to where his neck disappeared beneath his armor, there were broad jagged scars and peeling skin._ _ _ _

____Looking at him forced this... guttural feeling upon Hyun-wu and he didn't know why. "Are you insane?" the man asked in a gruff, deep voice. "You could have gotten us both killed with your stunt back there." He scoffed. "Worthless piece of shit."_ _ _ _

____He could hit the knight, he figures. The rope had been severed, but the only thing that dissuaded him is the fact that he was so easily caught the first time. That, and the long blade tucked away in Alured's scabbard._ _ _ _

____So instead, Hyun-wu remained definently silent and focused his eyes on the cracks all along the cement floor._ _ _ _

____Alured stopped when he reached what could only be described as a cell. There wasn't enough room to sit and let his legs stretch out - that much he could tell just from looking at it. There was no light, peering through, except that from the slender slate at the bottom of an iron door._ _ _ _

____Hyun-wu really didn't have all that much time to survey the place. Alured shoved him forward and the brunette's weak legs gave couldn't stumble in the dark quick enough to catch him._ _ _ _

____He heard the long metallic creak of the door. The boy huddled into the corner, pressing his back firmly into the cold brick. He shuddered and rubbed his hands over his arms._ _ _ _

____He still felt the painful phantom sensations of the rope. They must have left marks, but he couldn't check. Too dark._ _ _ _

____His eyes didn't yet adjust and he wasn't sure if they ever would. Still, he looked around and tucked his knees up to his chest._ _ _ _

____Something dripped down his cheek, and he was quick to dismiss it as a leak from the ceiling. But he reached up, and knew that the source of the salt water was from his eyes._ _ _ _

____It was painful. Realization crashed into him like a horse-drawn carriage. His family was dead. His entire village was dead. And here he was, in foreign territory hours away from his destroyed home, in a cell he might never be let out of._ _ _ _

____Everything had happened so fast. He was too weak to stop it. His father, his mother, his sister, dead. And he was-_ _ _ _

______"Useless..." ________


	4. "You Really Are Useless, Aren't You?"

At first it had been fine - as fine as being held captive could have been. Dehydration hadn't yet crept in and hunger didn't consume his every thought aside from his fear and self pity. This was certainly... different.

With each passing second, the prison seemed to shrink. Decayed stone walls closed in on him and he was simply left alone with his thoughts for what had to have been days. When he wasn't lamenting over starvation and the fact that he was growing dangerously thin, those thoughts were usually negatives directed towards himself. Like, why didn't he fight harder? How long had his parents been dead before he _woke up _?__

__The situation hung over his head and constantly reminded him how helpless he was. His weary brown eyes caught a glance at the scratched up iron door that prevented his escape. He could barely make out its shape in the dark, now that it was night. He thought it was, at least, but there was no way to tell._ _

__His body laid slumped against the jagged corner where two walls met. He really didn't have enough energy to anything else. Perhaps they were going to let him die here, but then what was the point of taking a prisoner in the first place?_ _

__It took a moment, but his eyelids felt heavy and slid shut. For the first time in what seemed like months, he drifted into a cold and comfort-less sleep._ _

___ _ _ _ _ _ __ _

__"Hyun? Hyun!"_ _

__Hyun-wu rested against the bark of a tall willow tree that provided sufficient shade on the hot summer day. He tore his attention away from the book upon hearing the urgent chant of his sister. When he saw the worry on her face, he frowned. "What is it? Is... something wrong?"_ _

__Cho jumped up and down frantically before she took his the sleeve of his usual white shirt between her small hands. "Momma is sick again! Look! Look!" She tugged at the fabric desperately in the direction of an old stable they had in the back._ _

__Hyun quickly tossed his book to the ground and rose, for whatever had happened, must have been dire if his sister was reacting like this. They both rushed over to the shabby sort of wood structure on the far end of the field. The doors were still open, so before he could even get close, he saw his father hunched over one of the pens. His mother leaned against the same one - balance swiftly and steadily failing._ _

__Before she collapsed, Hyun-wu swiftly ran to her side and caught her. "Mom, what's going on?"_ _

__Her hair long brown hair hung muddled over her eyes, and the shadows it cast obscured the rest of her face. He could only decipher the silhouette of her anguished profile before she turned._ _

__She hacked into her forearm, drenching the material in red. Dreary eyes met Hyun-wu's and she quickly pulled away. "Hyun-wu...? You shouldn't... Don't worry about me... I'm fine. Stay away... You might become I'll because of me..."_ _

__"We should call a doctor," he insisted. "There's one in the next town over."_ _

__She frantically shook her head. "No, no, you mustn't. The King... The North... He's..."  
_ _ _ _ _ _ __ _

__He was dissuaded from his slumber by a falsely pleasant, coarse voice, "Morning, sunshine."_ _

__Hyun-wu practically jolted when he saw the two hazel eyes peering out through the slate in the door. That made the man, Alured, cackle out a hearty laugh. "Didn't mean to scare you," he assured. Hyun didn't have to see the rest of his face to know he was smiling sarcastically._ _

__The boy said nothing though; he only kept his gaze sharp and drew closer to corner - his only fake sense of security in such a vulnerable position._ _

__The soldier scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Don't get any ideas, princess." He withdrew a bit and raised a small bundled up cloth and forced it through the opening. "Here."_ _

__It was pitiful to watch the scrawny thing scramble to catch it before it hit the floor. He pulled away at the cloth to reveal a slice of bread. It wouldn't be enough to quell the hunger that had been bubbling over for days, that much was obvious. And the state of said 'food' left much to be desired._ _

__The bread had been infected with darkish black mold at the corners, but the brunet couldn't estimate when they would feed him next, if at all. He swallowed and bit into it ravenously, pulling apart at it like meat. Alured laughed again, shaking his head this time._ _

__"Ha, careful there or you might choke."_ _

__The brief moment in which Hyun-wu paused from eating the diseased scraps, he glared at Alured before continuing. The knight said nothing more for a while. They both sat in silence and eventually Hyun forgot he was there watching him._ _

__"Alright, that's enough. Get up."_ _

__Hyun-wu wiped his face of crumbs. His brows creased with confusion. "Why?" Alured could barely hear his raspy voice. Must've been from lack of use._ _

__"Because I said so. Get the fuck up. Now."_ _

__Hyun-wu did nothing and retreated back to the corner, arms folded. "For what?" He might as well just end it, save both of them the trouble. He'd be better off if he... joined his family anyway._ _

__Alured growled and the prisoner heard the door unlock._ _

__It happened in a flash, honestly. Hyun had never seen such a large and bulky man move so fast: throwing the door open, rushing in, and grabbing Hyun-wu by the collar. And just as quickly, Hyun-wu's reflex was to swing a blind punch at his jaw._ _

__Alured's eyes grew wide and he let go, just to shake it off. When the surprise dissipated, rage replaced it. Alured threw the same punch, but by god, when his fist connected with the smaller man's face, it hurt a hell of a lot more. Hyun-wu stumbled and his head spun in dizzying circles. The distraction was enough for Alured to grab him and drag him out, disoriented and all, into that same corridor from whence they came._ _

__The temperature in the hall was at least a tad bit warmer than that of the cell, but that was only on account of the row of wax candles struck against stone. When Hyun-wu's head started swimming, he finally faced forward. He barely noticed the candles, nor their light. All that filled his head was the sight of a wooden door at the end of the road. In his weakened state, moving a muscle bordered on painful or nauseating. He couldn't decide which._ _

__Alured hesitated at the wooden barrier which Hyun-wu found odd all things considered. He refused to look at the knight, but he heard him sigh beside him when his hand reached for the door handle. The doors creaked, but Hyun didn't look. Was it defiance? Fear? Maybe both._ _

__He wasn't one to show good judgement._ _

__It must've been the throne room that lied behind it when he finally lifted his gaze, but there was nothing regal in the slightest sense. The chamber was nothing but a vast, vacant expanse of dark marble floors, gray walls, porcelain pillars coated in black, and a long scarlet red carpet that inevitably lead to..._ _

__"My King," Alured spoke. "I have brought you, the survivor from the south-eastern village. Near Achrisha."_ _

__Hyun's skin crawled when he followed the carpet up to the throne. It was no golden or cushioned chair - it was an exercise in sadistic pride. The _thing _was decorated with chipped swords and shrapnel from wars long past.___ _

____As for the man himself, Hyun would be lying if he said he hadn't expected worse. The man was tall, even sitting. He could just tell he had a powerful facade from such broad shoulders. His short hair was dark and a bit scraggly, and his skin had certainly seen sunlight moreso than his captive. Dull, dark eyes stared the boy down with ill intent. He looked nothing more than unimpressed... at the most. His mouth wasn't much of a frown more than it was a thin line without any visible emotion._ _ _ _

____Maybe, just maybe, had he met the man under different circumstances... and had this not been the man that had caused such chaos and damnation, he might have found him attractive. He had all features that could be considered as such. However, Hyun's face was wracked with horror and not awe or admiration, for this was the man that would decide his fate. It didn't occur to him at first, but the fact that he saw the man's face meant he most likely wasn't getting out of this place. Heaven knows what he wanted with him. He had heard the rumors; most ranging from believable to downright nonsensical - from 'the King takes a prisoner to torture for his own amusement' to 'the King takes a prisoner to bathe in their blood.'_ _ _ _

____"A peasant," the King spoke. His voice was deep enough for Hyun-wu to hear it rumble deep within his chest. Like the magma chamber of a volcano, that sound was deep, but entirely filled with molten rock. Something about the captive's appearance irritated him._ _ _ _

____Hyun-wu shuddered._ _ _ _

____"They were all peasants, I'm afraid... Your highness."_ _ _ _

____The King looked the frail thing over again. His eyes stopped at the blood dripping from his lip. "What happened to his face...?"_ _ _ _

____Alured quickly released him from his death grip, cleared his throat, and almost seemed embarrassed. "I'm sorry, your majesty. I lost my temper. He has a bit of a mouth on him."_ _ _ _

____Hyun missed the way the King's mouth twitched into a smirk and then returned to normal. "Is that so?" Shifting, the silver metals that adorned his charcoal-colored coat chimed gently, maybe even soothingly. It reminded Hyun of wind chimes before his heart began racing again. The King took slow, measured strides over to Hyun-wu and towered over the cowering creature. The King saw him as a gentle little thing he could crush in a single motion. If he were just to wrap his hands around that slender throat of his and squeeze..._ _ _ _

____The brunette could hear his breath quicken and he didn't know why. Hell, he didn't want to know why._ _ _ _

_____Run, run! _His mind _screamed _at him, but his body was frozen in place like a statue from the chin down.____ _ _ _ _

________The King swiftly snatched the boy's jaw between his rough calloused fingers. The boy hissed in what could have only been pain. "Hmm..." the royal hummed as he moved his jaw to the side for a better look. Cute. Frail. Pathetic._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Hyun-wu's hands trembled at his side, somehow resisting the urge to sway his hand away purely out of necessity. If he were to try, he wasn't sure if his legs were quite willing to run away yet._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"You should be thankful I brought you in, hm? Otherwise you would have burned in the fires just like your family."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Hyun-wu snapped his eyes towards him and glared because that was all he could do._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________When the king saw this, satisfaction ran through his veins like adrenaline. A grin manifested itself beneath his joyless, scarred eyes. He leaned in, despite how the prisoner flinched, and whispered, "Now then, kneel before your king. Tell me just how grateful you are that I saved you."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________When he pulled away, tears leaked from Hyun's eyes. The gravity of the situation finally dawned on him and fuck he would prefer death over this. Obedience out of fear is still obedience. "No." Despite being shaky and fragile, Hyun's voice still emerged loudly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Alured watched in horror._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The malevolent smile the King flashed finally faded away, but he didn't seem as surprised. He saw how the peasant shook; he just wondered how long it would take for his resolve to crumble. Slowly, he asked, "What is your name?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"That's none of your business."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The King chuckled and released his face from his hand, but only for a moment. "You really do have a mouth on you." He trailed around him and surprisingly, he remained still like an animal that had been caught._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The older man clicked his tongue behind him; he could hear it. Familiar fingers entangled themselves in Hyun's hair and yanked his head back; he couldn't help but let out a small cry at the sharp painful sensation. The king pulled his head back until he couldn't anymore and the boy started to have trouble breathing. Hyun-wu felt another hand wrap around his chest._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"I could have left you for the scavengers. I'm sure they would have loved to find a delicate thing like you. Would you have preferred that? For old men to fuck you until you scream?" His hand slid lower and lower..._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Hyun-wu choked out a gasp. "No! Stop!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Then kneel," he snapped and released his plaything to do as he was told._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Hyun-wu dropped to his knees and lowered his head in shame. He could see the tears seep into the carpet. His voice emerged after a trembling, wet sob, "T-Thank you, my King." He cried through it and the words were hardly intelligible. _Pathetic. _, he thought.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________"Good. See? Was that so hard?" The King asked over the other's continued sobbing. He knelt down as well, but only to meet the boy. He still remained tall and imposing. "I could take you right here," he whispered, mostly to himself, as he brushed Hyun's soft brown hair. Then he grimaced. "But you're filthy." He lifted himself, albeit slowly and continued to watch the captive cry. Without as much as looking at the knight, he called to him. "Alured?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Alured clenched his teeth behind the seam of his lips when he turned to the only slightly shorter man. "Yes?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________"Take him to the washing chamber."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________"...Yes, your majesty."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
